How Did Ancient Greece Develop and Impact the Modern World? Greece is a peninsula surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It has mountains running down the middle, separating the many city-states, which kind of function as their own small country. They have many conflicts with each other, especially Athens and Sparta. They fought each other during the Peloponnesian War. But they united to fight the powerful Persians in the Persian War. Athens was known as a better government and philosophers. They also had the better navy. Sparta was known for its very strong army and being powerful in general. Greece continued to expand under the rule of Philip II, who was from Macedonia and conquered Greece. His son, Alexander the Great led Greece to its full glory by expanding its culture in all directions.
Ancient Greece has a great influence on the modern world of today because Athens invented democracy. It created the best form of government that we use today. We the people rule the country and get to make the laws. They also had great philosophers that have changed the way we live and think today. Socrates was one of these thinkers. How Are Modern Political Systems Related to Greek City-States? Greek city-states operated not as a united country, but as small separate countries. Athens was probably the most important city-state considering the government that we use today. Athens created a democracy, where the people get to decide what is best. Athens created the Acropolis where the people would vote and most government actions would take place. Sparta had a less effective government of an oligarchy and an aristocracy, where a small group of high class people ruled. Sparta had a very powerful army with very powerful tactics, such as a phalanx. A phalanx is a special formation. It was key to the defeat of Persia ini the Persian War. Everyone Sparta captured became Helots, or slaves. Most of Greece used monarchy as their government though, and some kings turned into tyrants.
What Was the Impact of Alexander the Great's Empire? Alexander the Great expanded the Greek empire in all directions. He was the son of Philip II, who was the king of Macedonia and conquered Greece. Though Greece remained Greece, Philip II was king until his son took the throne after Philip II was murdered. Alexander the Great defeated Persia and its ruler Darius II.
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How Did Greek Geography Shape Greek Life? Greece is a peninsula surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea. It has mountains running down the middle, separating the many city-states, which kind of function as their own small country. The first Greeks were the Mycenaeans. They started a tradition of storytelling. One great storyteller was Homer, and he wrote many great epics - stories of tragedies, such as the story of a great hero. One of these epics were the Iliad. It told of the Trojan War where the Mycenaeans defeated the Trojans after Paris, prince of Troy, had stolen the wife of the king of Mycenae. The Mycenaeans were almost defeated when Odysseus, another Greek hero came up with the idea of the Trojan Horse. They made a giant wooden horse and put men inside of it. They put it at the Trojans gates and once inside burned down the city. This story is believed by some to be a myth- a story to explain natural events.
How Is Ancient Greece Still a Part of Our Lives Today in Reference to Democracy, Art, Literature, and Philosophy? Ancient Greece has a great influence on the modern world of today because Athens invented democracy. It created the best form of government that we use today. We the people rule the country and get to make the laws. They also had great philosophers that have changed the way we live and think today. Socrates was one of these thinkers. He set up the first school system in Greece. He was convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens for all the critical questions he asked and was sentenced to death. His student Plato continued his legacy and Aristotle him. There were great artists that depicted these scenes in classical art. Greece was also known for its storytelling, as they told tragedies- stories of heroes, and comedies- which made fun of things. The differences between Athens and Sparta caused the Peloponnesian War.
How is Our "American Culture" Like "Hellenistic Culture"? As Alexander spread Greek culture, the only way to get other cultures to accept it was to accept their culture, doing this, the cultures of Greek, Egypt, Persia, and India were blended. This was a Hellenistic Culture and is like our American culture because our culture is blended too. Alexandra was the capital of Hellenistic Culture in Egypt. Two great scientists were Archimedes and Euclid, who accomplished great feats such as building the Colossus of Rhodes, a giant statue.
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